OWEN - Two organizations aiming to wipe out hunger in the Owen-Withee area are raising money from now until the end of October, and a matching program will mean they'll get a dollar's worth of food for every dollar donated.

The Weekend Owen-Withee Kids' Meals program serving children in the Owen-Withee School District and the Community Alliance Food Pantry in Withee are teaming up in order to leverage the cash contributions they receive this fall. They both work with the Feed My People, a regional hunger relief agency that distributes food through northwest and central Wisconsin, and that organization will donate a dollar's worth of food to the two local programs for every dollar they raise.

The Match Challenge for W-O-W began Aug. 1 and runs through Sept. 10. The challenge for the Community Alliance Food Pantry begins Sept. 11, and will end Oct. 31.

W-O-W is in the midst of its third year, said Noel Barteck, the chairman of its steering committee. W-O-W volunteers collect food that is distributed to students in need identified by school counselors. In the past, the food was given to elementary school students on Friday afternoons. This year, Barteck said, the program will expand, distributing food to junior- and senior-high school students as well. The idea is to give needy students food for weekends, when they don't have access to school meals.

"There is a surprising need," Barteck said. "More than half of our students qualify for free- and reduced-price school lunches."

In the 2015-16 school year, W-O-W distributed more than 5,300 pounds of food, giving out 48 food bags per week, Barteck said.

People may donate to the student food-distribution program by making checks out to Weekend Owen-Withee Kids' Meals, and writing "Match Challenge" in the memo line. The money may be sent to the program's treasurer, Ruth Thompson, N12905 Highway 73, Withee, WI 54498.

The Community Alliance Food Pantry is also a fledgling agency, getting its start around five years ago, said Sister Margaret Trzebiatowski, a retired nun who is a volunteer organizer with the pantry.

Trzebiatowski estimates that the food pantry serves about 75 to 100 people per month.

"The types of people (who use the food shelf) are as varied as you can find. Some are elderly, just living on Social Security, some are young parents who lost a job. Other are those not able to find a job," Trzebiatowski said. "There is a definite need.”

People interested in donating to the food shelf should make checks out to the Community Alliance Food Pantry, and write "Match Challenge" in the memo line. Checks can be sent to Community Alliance Church, 111 S. Division St., Withee, WI 54498.